Things to do in Dubai this weekend
You know that moment on a Thursday afternoon when your work buddy asks what you’re doing this weekend and your mind goes blank? Well worry no more, friends, because What’s On has the perfect solution, whatever mood you are in.
ENTERTAINMENT
Check out the latest movie trailers and cinema listings of films being release in Dubai this weekend. Click here.
Heading to the capital this weekend? Then check out our list of goings on there, too. Click here.
THURSDAY
HOPFEST
It might be hotter than Hades outside but there’s at least one place in Dubai that keeps the party alive during the summer months. Dubai’s Celtic institution, The Irish Village will play host to a three day party when the annual Hopfest returns to the giant air-conditioned, sawdust-filled marquis from August 28. The organisers say they’ll be pouring over 100 different labels this year with varieties spanning across the globe, covering Belgium, Germany, Australia and Asia. There’ll also be plenty of live music courtesy of The MapleJacks – known for rocking classics ranging from REM and Bon Jovi to The Beatles – and DJ Marky hitting the decks from the high-rise stage.
August 28 to 30
The Irish Village, Garhoud, Dubai, 12pm to midnight, free entry (guests must purchase drinks vouchers upon arrival). Tel: (04) 2824750. Metro: GGICO. theirishvillage.com
SHOW OFF
Show off your boarding or BMXing skills and you could walk away with Dhs1,000 in your pocket or a custom skateboard. If you’ve got the skills and tricks head down to Dubai Sports World on Thursday afternoon and take part in the Hot Trick competition. The competition’s been organised by Dubai Sports World and skate shop Rage, and is open to everyone from beginners to the more bolshie show-offs.
Dubai World Trade Centre, Thursday, August 28, 3pm to 6pm, Dhs30. Tel: (052) 2966527. Metro: Dubai World Trade Centre. facebook.com/rageshoppage
FREESTYLE NIGHT
Take to the slopes and get the adrenalin pumping as Ski Dubai re-introduces its monthly Freestyle night on Thursday. Ski and snowboard fanatics can practise their skills and show off their tricks in the sub-zero alpine surroundings. As well as an array of ramps to jump from, the more daring can twist and turn over an old Chevvy car that will provide an unusual additional hurdle. There are spot giveaways and prizes for the daredevils who impress the most while a DJ provides the party soundtrack. Taking place the last Thursday of each month, Ski Dubai are also offering four hours on the slopes for the price of two. Bargain.
Mall Of The Emirates, Al Barsha, Thursday, September 28, 8pm to midnight, Dhs200. Metro: Mall Of The Emirates. Tel: (04) 4094090. skidxb.com
SIGMA
Whilst not all audiences may be ready for the rolling onslaught of riddim from these guys, Dubai – an unlikely drum ‘n’ bass outpost for a few years now – most certainly will. And the lads can’t wait to make their maiden voyage to play at Warehouse Dubai on Thursday. “We’re excited to see what it’s all about,” says Joe. Before signing off in this interview with Hype, he also revealed some big news. “We’re working on an artist album at the moment, and more collaborations with some amazing vocalists. But there’s nothing more we can say at this stage.”
Warehouse Dubai, Level 41, Media One Hotel, Dubai Media City. Dhs100 in advance, Dhs120 on the door. Metro: Nakheel
REGISTER FOR THE COLOUR RUN
Hailed as ‘The Happiest 5k On The Planet’, The Colour Run returns to the UAE in November 2014. But registration is open now. This year sees it return to the Dubai Autodrome on November 29, in partnership once again with JustGiving. Registration for entries opens on 9am, August 28 at thecolorrun.ae and we advise you move fast; last year sold out in just TWO WEEKS! Entry costs Dhs140 plus a Dhs25 delivery fee for all online entries, though alternatively you can purchase packs at Adventure HQ (JBR and Times Square Centre) and Abu Dhabi (Dalma Mall).
FRIDAY
HISTORY OF HOUSE
The History Of House will roll back the years at Story Rooftop Lounge with special guest DJ Paul Roberts, of Manchester house group K-Klass. Also making his debut at History Of House the same night is local DJ Drinky (right), who admitted he was already digging out bona fide club classics to play. “I’ll be playing lots of Defected classics and cuts from the likes of Martin Solveig, Jon Cutler and Blaze,” said Drinky.
Story Rooftop Lounge, Behind Zayed University, Dubai Media City, Friday, August 29, 9pm to 3am, free entry. Taxi: Zayed University. Tel: (055) 7730010
KID INK
One of the most visible rappers to emerge from LA in recent years, Kid Ink returns to the region for two shows, one of which is at People By Crystal, Raffles (the other is at the Abu Dhabi sister venue). Since releasing his debut mixtape World Tour, the producer turned MC has worked with Chris Brown, Dolla $ign, Bow Wow, Funkmaster Flex and A$AP Ferg amongst others. Like his name suggests, the rapper, born Brian Collins, has dozens of tattoos on his face, arms, hands and torso.
The Collection, St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi, Thursday, August 28, 10pm to 3.30am. Tel: (050) 8269698. Raffles Hotel, Garhoud, Dubai, Friday, August 29, 10pm to 3am. Tel: (050) 2972097. platinumlist.ae
PARTY FOR A GOOD CAUSE
DJs Danny Kwang and Shadi Megallaa will be digging through the crates to provide the perfect vibes for the first Sunny Vibe Up party of the new season. And the Deep Crates Cartel lads have promised to hand over all net profits from the event to a children’s organisation dedicated to “healing the wounds of war”. Guests Danny and Shadi will join the Sunny Vibe Up residents to throw down a blend of the best reggae, soul, hip hop, funk, Latin, disco, breaks and everything in between when Sunny Vibe Up returns to its home at Dusk Terrace after a summer break.
Dusk Terrace, Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City, Friday, August 29, 3pm to 1am, Dhs65. Metro: Nakheel. facebook.com/SunnyVibeUpDubai
ONE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Asia’s largest mixed martial arts event is coming to Dubai for what is being hailed as the biggest of its kind in history. The ONE Fighting Championship’s ‘Reign Of Champions’ showcase will kick off at the Dubai World Trade Centre on August 29, featuring a number of the sports’ leading stars. World champion Shinya Aoki will make his first title defence against veteran Kamal Shalorus of Iran, while superstar Roger Huerta will return to action against the undefeated Christian Holley. Featherweights Herbert Burns and Hiroshige Tanaka also feature, as well as former WBO and IBA boxing champion Ana Julaton.
For information and tickets, visit onefc.com
BREAKTHROUGH YOU
Dubai’s leading undiscovered talents will take to the stage at Courtyard Playhouse in Al Quoz for two hours of original music, short film, rap, stand-up comedy and other creative arts. This is the sixth edition of the popular showcase, and costs just Dhs50 for all that entertainment.
Courtyard Playhouse, Al Quoz, Street 4B, Dubai. Dhs50, 8pm to 10pm. Tel: 052 779 0077. Taxi: Courtyard Playhouse, Street 4b Al Quoz. courtyardplayhouse.com
COLOUR THERAPY
Most spa treatments begin with a few questions about how hard you want the pressure, if you’ve got any trouble spots that should be avoided and, if the therapist is feeling chatty, ‘Do you live in Dubai?’ But the new 90-minute colour therapy session at men’s spa 1847 starts with a quiz that sounds like a psychiatry textbook and is designed to unlock your feelings. After providing some answers, bottles of organic oils bearing coloured labels from red to blue and everything in between were brought out and we were invited to choose colours we were drawn to. The oils were applied to the skin and wafted beneath our nose as part of a one-hour body massage, in which meditative breathing played a big part. Did it work? As with anything that relies on your own inner-thinking, we couldn’t help but feel, was it real or placebo? But the oils smelt good, the massage was nice and it was good to open up. Maybe happiness does lie at the end of the rainbow.
1847, The Walk, Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai, daily 9am to 11pm, Dhs550. Tel: (04) 4221847. facebook.com/1847lounge
STAY AT BURJ AL ARAB
Packaging together some of the services usually reserved for VIP guests, those willing to spend Dhs5,999 will be able to be a part of the iconic hotel’s 15th birthday celebrations. For that price, you will enjoy a personal butler, Rolls-Royce Phantom pick-up, six-course dinner and signature spa experience. And after all that you’ll have a luxurious suite with views out over the Gulf, spread across 170 square metres and two floors to go back to.
To book the ‘Best Of The Burj, call 04 301 7400 or email BAAreservations@jumeirah.com
FREE YOGA CLASS
It’s free and it keeps you fit, so what’s not to like about the daily yoga classes taking place at Dubai Internet City Amphitheatre? Ah, they start at 5.30am. That’s right, Friends Of Yoga (friendsofyogaglobal.org) has launched the latest in their Dubai-wide free sessions, operating seven days a week, and they want people of all levels of experience to come along. The free daily yoga sessions run for an hour between 5.30am and 6.30am every single day of the year.
Dubai Internet City Amphitheatre, 5.30am
FREE SPEEDFLEX CLASS
There are no weights to adjust on the set of seven machines, which respond to the force applied by the user – so the harder you work, the higher the resistance. It makes for a high-intensity, low-impact work out that is suitable for everyone from pensioners to professional athletes. You’ll be assessed to see how you measure up in a variety of terrifying-sounding categories – think body fat percentage, muscle mass and visceral fat – before strapping on a wireless heart rate monitor for the workout.
The Walk, JBR, Dubai, Fri 6am to noon, Dhs150. Tel: (04) 8145666. Taxi: JA Ocean View Hotel. speedflex.com
SATURDAY
WATER FOR WORKERS
The hugely beneficial Water For Workers drive will return on August 30, and organisers The Sameness Project want your help. The last instalment of the initiative saw more than 5000 bottles of water given away in less than an hour to Dubai’s labourers. The drive, hailed as an overwhelming success by organisers, saw thousands of bottles of cold water and ‘thank you’ face cloths given away within just 45 minutes, in 39 different locations around Dubai. The group meet at Emirates International School, Al Thanya at 10am on Saturday August 30. All volunteers have to do is meet outside the school to have their cars loaded boxes of water ready to be given out.
For more information, contact fiona@thesamenessproject.com or call 055 220 6727.
GET A TASTE OF THAILAND
Ordinarily taking a shower is straightforward. Step in, turn the water on, and enjoy. Not so at the new Anantara Spa on The Palm, where the shower “experience” has several settings to choose from – including a dinner plate sized waterfall shower, a series of jets, and a ‘fresh’ option, which feels like a gentle mist from all directions. The spa’s wet area is also home to a salt inhalation room, a dry herbal sauna, and a crystal healing steam room, in which you take a seat in the darkness next to a giant chunk of purple gemstone to heal yourself. A spell in here left us suitably refreshed for the main event: the Elemis Absolute Spa Ritual incorporating a deep tissue massage and a facial. Our therapist manoeuvred our arms and legs into yoga-style positions, and used her forearms to apply serious pressure. It felt like an authentic Thai massage; relaxing, but with absolutely no danger of nodding off. The treatment ended with a soothing facial using Elemis products, so we were able to squeeze in that all-important spa snooze.
Anantara The Palm Resort And Spa, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, daily 10am to 10pm, Dhs1,300. Tel: (04) 5678140. Taxi: Anantara The Palm. dubai-palm.anantara.com
BUTTERFLIES IN MY STOMACH
Its setting in Dubai’s most atmospheric neighbourhood means XVA is always a pleasure to visit, but that’s never more the case than during the summer, when its courtyard offers a cool oasis. This month, however, it’s the art that’s really selling it to us. Barbara Wildenboer, Debjani Bhardwaj and Saba Mosoumian are three young artists who use paper to create very different bodies of work. Wildenboer’s complex topographies, created by cutting, folding and pasting books, maps and photographs, are worthy of particular merit. This a serious contender for our perfect summer show.
Until September 1
a XVA Gallery, Al Fahidi Neighbourhood, Bur Dubai, free. Tel: (04) 3535383. xvagallery.com
TUCK IN
Pierre Hermé has been dubbed by Vogue no less as the ‘Picasso of pastry’. So with that in mind, it’s great to hear that he has opened Pierre Hermé Paris in Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates. Expect plenty of mouth-watering bespoke pastries, cakes, chocolates, macaroons and gourmet sweets.
Dubai Mall opening hours: 10am to 1am all weekend.
Mall of the Emirates 10am to 1am all weekend
BOOK GARY BARLOW TICKETS
Superstar Gary Barlow is bringing his ‘Since I Saw You Last’ solo tour to Dubai later this year. The Take That man will perform a special one-off gig at Dubai Media City Amphitheatre on October 17, with tickets on sale now. Organisers Louder Entertainment promise that alongside his own smash hits, Barlow will treat fans to plenty from the group’s back catalogue, including the likes of Rule The World, Patience and Back For Good.
Tickets, which are available from Virgin Megastore, will be priced from Dhs295 for Early Bird to Dhs1,000 for VIP, with seating costing Dhs450, and Fan Pit coming in at Dhs600.
DISCOUNTS AT GQ BAR
Diners at trendy JW Marriott Marquis spot GQ Bar can receive 30 per cent off their food bill simply by quoting ‘signature dining’ to their host upon arrival, so long as you’re tucking in before 10.30pm. Choose from the likes scallops with black truffle and mascapone gratin, king crab, wagyu fillet and even roasted red fingerling potatoes..
JW Marriott Marquis, Business Bay, Dubai. Daily 8.30pm to 10.30pm. Tel: (04) 321 4541. gqbardubai.com
